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@uiten tetes jstent @ffice Letters Patent No. 7 4,688, dated February 18, 1868.

IMPROVED SCHOOL-DESK.

i @In tlphule nitriet tu it tipa Enters rtcitt mit making met tt its time.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be itiknown that I, GEORGE W. HILDRETH, of Lockport, in the county of Niagara, in the State of New York, have invented Improvements in School-Desks; and I do hereby7 declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon', which refer to the same parts in the various figures.'

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse section in perspective.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a desk nished.

The nature of my invention consists in so constructing a school-desk that the iron stanchio'ns can be fastened to the wood-work in n strong, substantial manner, (without braces hy extending thc irons up inside ofthe wood-work part of the desk, through mortises cut in the bottom of said desk, and screwing the irons to the sidesand in the corners of said desk, getting a longer leverage hold ofthe wood-work, which wood-work is made in the ordinary shape of a desk, except the top or lid thereof is made in three parts, and so hung as to be turned up, or so folded'astov make a hook-rack, for holding the book o f the scholar in a. position to make him sitwith ease, and in an erect position.

To enable a person to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction :in detail.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a double desk for two scholars, with one portion of the lid or top in a position to write upon. The other portion is so folded as to make a hook-rack, for holding the book in a position for reading or studying, as will also be seen in fig. 2, which shows-further how the book is held to its Aplace by thc lower end of the b ook resting against a. ledge, a, inside ofthe desk, and the book is held open by the open leaves bearing against the inside front part ofthe desk, as seen at Ir. The front portion ofthe lid c is placed just far enough'from the front, d, to make room for the thickness of the book. -'lhe book at the same tim-e holds the lid in place, and the lid holds the .book in placet A notch may be eut in the` end of the desk at f, to hold the lid open when the. book is out, or a button can he placed inside of the desk, to be turned up to hold the lid open. When you wish to lower the lid for writing-purposes, Sie., take out the book, turn down the button, and the lid will drop to its natural position without making a slamming noise, because the escape ofthe air is so slow from the end openings,` thus forming a cushion to produce that effect. The dotted lines show the various positions in which thetop can he placed. 'lhe ledge y is for holding pens or pencils safely. Fig. 3 shows how the iron stanchions are attached to the wood; lt showsthe inside front of the desk; shows thc further inside end of the desk. The irons are shaded darkish. The bottom of the desk, j, is shaded yellowish, or wood-color. The outside top and front are pink'or cherry-color. l

The upper ends ofthe irons c 7c are screwed to tho end z'; Zlarc screwed to the front t; Z and c are screwed in the corner of h and z'; 'm m are to be screwed to the end that is left out, to get an inside view; n n n are for screws to go into the edge of'thc end ofthe desk. v

The stanchionsp p may he of any desired forni. The centres of the hinges on which the top or lid folds up are seen at o o, in figs. 2 und 3, which may he of any desired pattern. The pieces forming the top ofY the desk may vary in width, as desired.. l

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Thejoint o, in combina-tion with the ordinary joint s, for the purpose of raising the central portion of the I dcsk-lid, to forni a book-rack o f the desk-top or lid,as herein specified and shown.

G. W. HIL'DR-ETH.

Witnesses:

Josurn CLARK, rDANIEL MeKnu, 

